Sewing-machine



A. H. DE VOE.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. I917.

1,324,762. 9 Patented Dec. 9,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

M l\ B\ 38 l i R a INVENTOR TTORNEY A. H. DE voE. SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. I911- Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTOR MJXMZ/d WITNESSI WJW ATTORNEY A. H. DE voE.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20.19M-

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSZ INVENTOR 44M xww TTORNEY To all whom it may concern."

UNITED s'rarns PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT H. DE VOE, OF "WESTFIELR'NEW JERSEY, ASSIGIN OIt TO THE SINGER MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW J ERSEY.

Y SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

Application filed February 20, 1917, Serial No. 149,719.

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. De Von, a citizen of the United States, residing at Westfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, ref crence being had therein to the accompanymg drawings.

This invention relates to sewing machines in general and in particular to the type thereof having an arm overhanging the work-support and carrying a needle and its actuating mechanism.

In the manufacture of shoes it has been found desirable to superimpose the ends of the vamp with their edges in line and stitch them together, then to stitch a stay over the raw edges of the vamp equally on both sides of their line of union. The first or uniting seam forms the vamp into, what may be termed for convenience in description, a tubular article which after the stitching of a stay thereto encircles the needle, needlethread and presser-foot. Heretofore it has been common in this type of machine to break the thread in order to remove each vamp after it was thus completed and permit the introduction of more work.

It is the object of this invention to increase the capacity of an operator by enabling her to handle more work in a given time than has heretofore been possible.

To this end an overhanging arm above the work-plate has been made hollow and freed of obstructions externally being given a gradual taper from its rounded Junction with the vertical standard to the free end of a. depending portion in which a bushing is housed for guiding the needle and presser-' bars while the arm proper houses devices for actuating and controlling saidbars as well as defines a protected thread passage for the needle-thread passing from a tension device at one end of the arm to a take-up within the arm and thence to the needle-eye.

The invention also consists in certain details of construction which will appear in the description of the embodiment thereof shown in the drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the overhanging arm. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the arm. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the v take-up on the needle operating lever viewed from its front end. Fig. dis a cross section of the thread. passage on' the line X-X,-

Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross section of the arm and thread passage'adjacent the take-up anism within the arm being omitted forthe vation of the hollow overhanging arm. Fig.

' 7 is a disassembled perspective of the "bushing and its associated elements,.the needlebar, needle-llnk and presser-bar. Fig. '8 is a perspective view of a tubular article capable of being handled on the machine of I this invention. The invention in its preferred form is embodied in a twin-needle .double chain stitch machine butit is to be understood that other stitch-forming mechanisms could be used.

A pair of needles 1 are secured by screws 2 in a needle-clamp 3 fastened tothe needlebar 4 in any suitable manner. As shown, but not necessarily, the needles are not abreast but are staggered to cooperate with two loopersl 5 beneath the work-plate 6 and actuated by any suitable mechanism.

From the bed-plate A' of the machine a. standard B rises vertically and supports a substantially horizontal hollow overhanging arm C having a depending portion D. Preferably, but not necessarily, these parts, which constitute the frame, are cast integrally. The arm' C and its depending portion D are hollow and externally are sub stantially free of projections which would obstruct the passage of a tubular article. Viewed as in Fig. 1 the frame comprises a base-portion A and a member rising therefrom which is bowed or bent between its ends to form an overhanging arm G and a depending portion D. Cross-sections of the arm C and depending portion D are similar throughout the length of said parts but they are preferably not 'of the same size. Lugs such as C, Fig. 5, maybe formed internally of the member but the external contour of any cross-section through the arm and its depending portion should be substantially similar.

The needle-clamp 3, Fig. v'2', is provided with a pair of recesses 7 in which wires 8 are supported from a raised portion'9 so as to be free of points or projections tending to catch material accidentally brought into contact with the clamp. A pin 10 extends rearwardly from the needle-clamp 3 and 1s embraced by the apertured boss 11 at 'one end of the flat link 12 that at its other end is reduced to form a shoulder 13 from which projects a pin 14 entering the hole 15 in the cross-pin 16, a screw 17 being employed to hold the cross-pin to the link. The crosspin 16 is fitted to the transversely extending bearing aperture 17, see Fig. :2, in an end of the needle-lever 18 journaled intermedlate its ends on a pin 19 which is held stationary in the arm (J by the clamping screw 20 and split bushing 21 in manner well known while the other end of the needle-lever is connected by a ball-and-socket joint 22 to the upper end of a pitman 23 whose lower end is connected by a ball-and-socket joint 21 to the crank 25 on the main-shaft 26 of the machine. 7

A presser-foot 27 of any suitable form is secured by screw to the lower end of a presser-bar 29 (Fig. 7) to which at its upper end is secured by a screw 30 the lifting head 31 provided with a transverse groove 32. The presser-foo-t 27 cotiperates with the feed-dog 27 to form a work-gripping and feeding means. A bell-crank 33 (Fig. constituting a lifting lever is pivoted at 34 within the arm C and a roller 35 at one end of the bell-crank is operatively arranged within the transverse groove 32 while a stud screw 36 tapped into the other end of the bell-crank is loosely fitted to the end of the rod 37 on which rod collars 38 are secured by screws 39 a suliicient distance apart to receive the forked end of an arm 40 of a bell-crank LO- 33 pivoted at 41 within the vertical standard and adapted to be operated at will from a treadle, not shown, connected by any suitable means to a rod 12 secured to the arm 43 of the bell-crank. Hinged at 44 to the rod 37 is a rod 45 having a shoulder at 16 adapted to receive the thrust of a spring 17 coiled about it when the apertured and externally threaded screw 18 is adjusted in the internally threaded bushing 4-9 so that the spring is under compression.

It will thus be seen that the presser-foot is yieldingly urged downward by the spring 17 so as to cotiperate with the feed-dog 27 and that the resser-foot may be lifted against the thrust of the spring through the rod 42 which is operatively connected to the lifting lever 33 and is ac essible from a point beyond the junction of the arm and its vertical standard at which junction the work supporting area of the arm terminates.

The arm 13 of the bell-crank LO- 13 has a finger laterally offset in the manner shown in Fig. 6 to locate it centrally of the vertical standard so as to present its knife edges 51-52 simultaneously between the tension release pins 53 of the similar tension devices 5% in order to release the thread passing to the needles and loopers when the presser-foot is lifted and the work re.- moved.

In the depending portion D of the arm a screw Fig. 2, is threaded and holds the bushing 56 in place. The bushing 56 is provided with sockets 57-5 See 7 for the needle and presser-bars respectively, and is also provided with a pair of guideways 5960 respectively for the needlelink 12 and the guide element 61 depending from the lifting head 31 of the presser-bar. By housing the bushing within and at the lower free end of the depending portion D of the overhanging arm the needle-bar is guided and steadied as close as the length and stroke of the needle permit while obtaining sufficient length of socket to steady the needle-bar throughout its stroke. By fitting the link 12 loosely but without play in the guideway 59 the needle-bar l is held against rotation on its axis while the guideway 66 and guide element 61 perform a similar function for the presserbar 29. p

In the front of the overhanging arm C a channel 62, Fig. 4-, is cut out to receive the plate 63 under cut as shown to define a pro tected thread passage 64k with the adjacent portion of the arm. Wires 65 are secured a suitable distance apart to the plate 63 and bent downwardly and inwardly to form thread-guides. The free end of the wire is located within a hole 66 countersunk on the inner face of the plate and is within the planes of the parallel faces of the plate. The plate 63 is slightly narrower than the channel 62 in the arm and when fastened in place by the screws 67 there is a long narrow duct 64 between the arm and lower edge of the plate communicating with the thread passage 64. The arm is drilled as at 68 to receive the wire thread guides 65 which for structural reasons cannot be made too small.

At 62, Fig. 1 the channel 62 merges into a hole of irregular form corresponding to the form of a pair of similar and angular shaped plates 70 and 71, Figs. 1, 3 and 5, which are fitted within and without the arm respectively, to which they are held clamped in place by the screw 72 loosely passing through the flange 73, holding the upper edge of the outer plate 70 spaced suitably from the inner plate 71, the arm being machined to form seats for the other edges of the plates. As clearly shown in Fig. 1 these plates are provided with substantially registering slots 74 and 75 through which projects the active end of a take-up 76 fastened to the needle-lever 18 by screws 77 and having a slightly curved upper edge 78 and downwardly rounded lower edge 79. Below the take-up 76 the plates 70 and7l;

are extended downward and over the de-v pending portion D into proximity with the needles as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The thread passes from a tension (or tensions) 54 through the eyelet 80 to the protected thread passage 6& into which it is readily inserted by following the duct 64:. When one of the V-shaped recesses indicated at 81 is reached the threadis lifted upwardly and inwardly toward the operator to cause it to snap under the adjacent hook-wire 65 within the loop of which it is then-confined. From the thread-passage 64 the thread passes between the plates 7 0 and 71 to the take-up 76 being threaded over the same by carrying it along the duct 64: which is continued along the bottom-and sides of the outer plate so that when the take-up is moved to its lowest position its lower con-- vex face 79 will deflect the thread toward the front of the machine and cause it to slip over the point of the take-up and into operative position on' the concave upper face 78 thereof. From the take-up to the needleeye the thread passes downwardly to the needle being led under the wires 8 carried by the needle-clamp. By the construction and arrangement above mentioned it will be seen that a covered or protected thread passage is formed along the overhanging arm from the tension devices 45 to the take-up 76 and along the depending portion D from the take-up 7 6 to the needles 1. The threadguide wires or eyes 65 andthe take-up 76 as fashioned are known to the trade as self threaders.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present machine is one in which the needle-actuating mechanism, the presserfoot lifting mechanism, the take-up for the needle-thread, and the passage for the needle-thread are all housed within the overhanging arm whereby the arm is free externally of projections and obstructions. With such a machine the operator may easily pass a tubular article up around the needle and resser-foot onto the overhanging arm without breaking the thread, or if the operator is not sufficiently dexterous, without breaking the thread until another tubular article has been started. In either event it will be possible for the operator to stay or stitch a plurality of tubular articles without stopping the formation of stitches. In double chainstitch machines the needle-thread is looped about the looper when the needle is above the material and at all other times the needle or needle-thread is engaged with the looperthread or the looper. In this type of machine, more perhaps than an any other, it is highly desirable to avoid the delay inevitably attending the commencement ofthe interchaining of the needle and looper-threads. Avoidance of the delay mentioned is greatly "assisted by the externally smooth arm of this invention since it permits a dexterous operator to manipulate the work without hindrance from obstructions of any sort on the arm. I

7 Furthermore should an operator not hav sufficient skill to manipulate the work as mentioned, and be compelled to stop the machine after each articl was finished her capacity nevertheless would be increased because of this same convenience in slipping a, tubular article up and onto the overhanging arm. When the arm is fully loaded the machine may be stopped with the needle in its highest position and the tubular articles all removed at the same time.

The machine shown is adapted for use with any kind of a device for leading the stay to the vamp and interlining as they are being stitched. It has been found convenient to lead the stay from beneath the worksupport. In the manipulation of the" work the stay is treated in very much the same wayas the thread, being cut when the thread is cut, but it may be treated otherwise if desired,-its-treatment being obviously subject to the will of the operator.

Some shoes may be made more cheaply with a seam on the inside adjacent the instep in addition to the heel-seam as shown in Fig.

8. 'With this invention the operator may stay the heel-seams of as many articles as the arm will conveniently accommodate and sew them ofi of the arm in making the inside seam as mentioned without stopping the operation of the stitch-forming mechanism.

The above mentioned uses of the invention are not intended to be complete or exclusive. They are merely suggestive. By their enumeration therefore it is to be distinctly understood that I do not wish to be limited in any way, as the exigencies of manufacture may suggest other ways in realizing the value of housing-the actuating-mechanism within the arm and leaving the external surface of the arm free to aflord a convenient tubular-article-holdin support.

Having thus ,set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. In a sewing machine, a worlcsupport, an overhanging and angular-1y related arm and head united together in a continuous, unbroken and unobstructed surface adapted to receive tubular articles operated upon,

stitch-forming mechanism comprising a reciprocating thread-carrying element and a cooperating loop-taking element, of which one is sustained by said head with its actuating means adjacent said element wholly inclosed within said arm and head, and a take-up element wholly inclosed by said head. I a i 2. In a sewing machine, a supporting arm and depending head having a smooth,

continuous exterior surface, all of the oper-' ating parts mounted on said arm and head being located wholly within the periphery of said surface, a work-support, stitchforming mechanism including a needle carried by said head, and a pressenfoot also carried by said head, whereby small tubu lar articles carried by the work-support during stitching may be readily passed over said head and on said arm.

3. In a sewing machine, a needle, actuating means and thread-guiding means therefor, and an unobstructec, substantially smooth and continuous surfaced, arm and head supporting said needle, and completely inclosing its actuating means and threadguiding means.

4:. In a sewing machine, a supporting arm, a depending head continuous in outline therer-iith, a needle-bar carrying a needle at one end and journaled in and having its other end confined within said head, and thread-guiding and take-up means entirely inclosed by said arm and head, whereby relatively small tubular articles may be readily slid on and oil said arm and head.

5. In a sewing machine having a stitchformin'g mechanism, a presser-toot, a worksupport, a hollow arm overhanging said work-support and having a substantially smooth external surface free of obstructions to the passage of a tubular article thereover to permit the same being supported on said arm clear of the work-support, a presse -foot lifting lever located entirely within said arm and head, and operating means for said lever inclosed within said arm.

6. In a sewing machine, a work-support, stitch-forming mechanism including a thread-carrying implement above the work-support, an overhanging-article-holding-arm located above said work-support, a vertical portion connected with and depending from said arm, said thread-carrying implement being operatively supported entirely within'said vertical portion in proximity to said work-support, a tension device located adjacent the opposite end of said arm, and means on said arm defining a protected thread passage for thread passing from said tension device to said implement.

7. In a sewing machine having stitchforming mechanism including a needle and its actuating mechanism, a take-up for the needle thread, a hollow arm having a depending portion, said arm and its depend- 111g portion having a substantially smooth exterior free of projections, and completely housing said needle-actuating mechanism and said take-up.

- 8. In a sewing machine having stitchforming mechanism including a needle, needle-operating mechanism, a take-up for the needle-thread, a substantially round fistular arm, a tension device at one end of said arm, a member depending vertically from the opposite end of said arm and housing said take-up, means on said arm clefining a protected thread-passage for thread passing from said tension device to the takeup, and said arm housing said needle-operating mechanism.

9. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a needle, a needle-bar, a needle-lever, a link connecting said bar and lever, a hollow overhanging arm having a depending portion and housing said needledever, a bushing secured within the free end of said depending portion and having a socket slidably receiving said needle-bar, said bushing extending below the treeend or" said depending portion of the arm, and said link being secured to said bar below said bushing.

10. In a sewing machine, a needle-operating mechanism comp-rising a needle-bar, a 88 needle-lever, a hollow overhanging arm 1 vin a depending portion, said lever being pivoted within said overhanging arm, a bushing supper ed within said depending portion, said bushing being provided with a socket for said needle-bar and with a guiding recess, a link connecting said bar and lever and slidably received within said guiding recess in the bushing whereby the needle-bar may be reciprocated without turning on its axis, and means for actuating said needle-lever.

11. In a sewing machine, a hollow article-supporting overhanging arm having a depending portion, a bushing supported within said depending portion, a presserbar journaled in said bushing, a presserfoot connected to the lower end of said bar,

a presser-litting lever operatively connected to the other end of said bar, said lifting lever being pivoted within said hollow arm,

a rod connected to said lifting lever also housed within said arm, a spring yieldingly urging said presser-iioot downward and located within said hollow arm, and manually 1 0 controlled means operatively connected to said rod beyond the supporting area of said arm for lifting the pressentoot against the action of said spring.

'12. In a sewing machine, a hollow article supporting overhanging arm having a depending portion, a bushing supported within said depending portion, a presser-bar journ'aled in said bushing, a presser-foot connected to the lower end of. said bar, a presser-lifting lever operatively connected to the other end of said bar, said lifting lever being pivoted within said hollow arm,

a rod connected to said lifting lever also housed within said arm, a spring yieldingly urging said presser-foot downward and located within said hollow arm, manually controlled means operatively con-- nected to said rod beyond the work-sup-f porting area of said arm lifting the 1130 presser-foot against the action of said spring, and means for varying the tension of said spring accessible from a point beyond the work-supporting area of said arm.

13. In a sewing machine, a hollow articlesupporting overhanging arm having a depending portion, a bushing supported within said depending portion, a presser-bar journaled in said bushing, a presser-foot connected to the lower end of said bar, a presser-lifting lever operatively connected to the other end of said bar, said lifting lever being pivoted within said hollow arm, a rod connected to said lifting lever also housed within said arm, a spring yieldingly urging said presser-foot downward and located within said hollow arm, and manually controlled means opcratively connected to said rod beyond the work-supporting area of said arm for lifting the presser-foot against the action of said spring, said Presser-bar having a guide element, said bushing having a recess arranged and shaped to receive said guide-element for holding the presser-foot carried by the presser-bar against rotating on its own axis.

14. A sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism including a needle, a needle-bar, a presser-foot, ,apresser-bar supporting the same, an overhanging arm havmg a depending portion, a bushing supported within said depending portion, guiding sockets in said bushing for said needleand Presser-bars, a needle-lever, a link connected to said needle-bar and needle-lever, said link being movable in a plane'between and substantially parallel to said needle and presser-bars.

15. In a sewing machine having stitchforming mechanism including a needle and its actuating mechanism, an overhanging arm, said arm being similar in external con-- tour of cross-section throughout its extent, a plate extending longitudinally of and secured to said arm, said plate being shaped to cover and protect thread passing along said arm to said needle.

16. In a sewing machine having stitchforming mechanism including a needle and its actuating mechanism, a hollow arm having a depending portion and housing said needle-actuating mechanism, said arm having its external surface free of obstructions to the passage of a tubular article thereon, means on said arm and dependingportion defining a protected thread passage from the free end of said depending portion to the end of the article-supporting-surface' house part of the needle-actuating mechanism, said arm" being externally smooth, means on said arm and its depending portion defining a protected thread-passage leading to said needle, and a take-up operatively supported within said thread-passage.

18. Ina sewing machine having stitchforming mechanism including a needle and its actuating mechanism, an arm having a depending portion in which the needle is reciprocally housed and being hollow to house part of the needle-actuating mechanism, said arm being externally smooth, means on said arm and its depending portion defining a protected thread-passage leading to said needle, and a take-up operatively supported within said thread-passage, said means on said arm being shaped to permit introduction of thread into the protected thread-passage. I V

19. In a sewing machine, a needle, actuating means and thread-guiding means therefor, and an unobstructed, substantially tion of a support carrying stitch-forming andwork-gripping means, and an unclestructed, substantially smooth and c0nt1n uous surfaced arm and head'carrying comthe ,pe-

plemental stitch-forming and work-grip plng means, said latter means being operable entirely through said arm and head.

21. In a sewing machine, opposed sup- 1 ports carrying I stitch-forming mechanism,

one of which is smooth and unobstructed and carries a presser -bar'and foot, and actuatlng means for the presser-bar extending within the periphery of therespective' support to the rear part of themachine and operable from said rear part.

In'testimony whereof, Ihave signed my name-to this specification.

' ALBERT H. DE VOE. 

